40 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



a light blue colour, and unspotted. No eggs that I saw were 

 other than this species, though it seems probable that the Ring- 

 billed Gull, which is very common in Georgian Bay, may also breed 

 in the same localities. (W. Saunders.) 



In July, 1868, the writer found this species breeding on small 

 islands in Gull Lake, Victoria Co., Ontario, and in 1870 on a 

 small rocky island in Gull Lake, Barry Township, Addington Co., 

 Ontario. All the '' Gull " lakes in Ontario were no doubt named 

 after this gull. 



The writer made a trip on June 22nd to the island in Crane 

 Lake, where Mr. Spreadborough obtained the eggs on the 9th of 

 the same month. After a drive of five miles we reached the 

 margin of the lake, and, as the island was a quarter of a mile 

 from shore, we divested ourselves of part of our clothing and 

 waded out — taking care not to stand long enough to sink in the 

 white mud of the bottom. We had scarcely reached the shore 

 before we were surrounded by multitudes of common Terns, 

 Ring-billed and Herring Gulls, Cormorants and various waders. 



The south end of the island was the lowest, and here the Terns 

 had their little nests placed on the ground amongst the short 

 grass. By far the greater number contained three eggs, but none 

 had four. Passing more to the north, and on a higher level, we 

 found the Ring-billed Gull breeding, also in multitudes, and as 

 we approached their nests they rose screaming, and did not cease 

 till we left the island. Ascending a little higher, but passing to 

 the north, we came among the Herring Gulls but many of their 

 nests were empty, and the downy young were either hidden in 

 the grass or running to the water as fast as possible, while many 

 were swimming about. On the highest point of the island we 

 found 29 nests of the Double-crested Cormorant. The nests, 

 fully a foot high, were built on regular bases of broken sticks. 

 These nests formed a group by themselves, and evidently formed 

 the line of separation between the Herring Gulls and the Ring- 

 billed. The sticks had all been carried for a long distance, as no 

 willows grew within a couple of miles of the lake. 



MUSEUM SPECIMENS. 



One taken at Toronto by S. Herring, 1884. Our collection of 

 eggs of this species numbers eighteen. Six of these were taken 

 on Sturgeon Island, Lake Winnipeg by Mr. J. B. Tyrrell on ist 



